“If I walk away right now without us at least talking this out, I will be forced to make a report at the club.”
“Do what you have to do.” Despite the words having been spoken with no emotion, inside I was boiling, steam threatening to spill from every orifice it could.
I knew that if she were to report what happened I would lose my membership at the club until she or another Dom felt I was mentally stable to cross that threshold again. Which, at the rate I was going, wouldn’t be any time soon. Still, regardless of the consequences, I had no intention of talking to her or anyone else
“You really don’t care?” She seemed surprised by my lack of reaction.
If she knew me as well as she thought she did, she’d have been able to read between the lines and see what I wasn’t showing her. The hurt, fear, and desperation.
I shrugged, doing my best to play it cool. Inside, I wanted nothing more than to punch something. Preferably her. “I’ll find what I need somewhere else.”
“Fine. Have it your way. But let me make one thingveryclear…I won’t come to the rescue when you’re in the hospital because someone took advantage of you again.” With that, she stood, giving me one last look.
“Judah’s leaving with me. If you don’t care about your own well-being that’s your decision, but I won’t let you drag him down this road of destruction with you.”
“Fuck you all!” I shouted, slumping down in my chair even farther, my heart no longer able to contain its shattered pieces as the two of them made their way to the front door.
It wasn’t until I heard the front door slam, followed by the sound of tires speeding down my driveway that I let my sorrow take over, giant sobs wracking my body.
Judah
Standing at the edge of the doorway, I watched as Zeek fall apart. It was as if his entire world had just come crashing down around him, his entire body shaking with the silent sobs. He’d already been through more than any one person should endure in such a short life, so I couldn’t figure out why he would continue putting himself through such things, only to end up right back where he’d been to begin with.
I watched him a moment longer, his pain spiraling out of control. My heart ached to see him in such agony. Unsure what else to do, I took a deep breath and began moving slowly in his direction, making sure my feet could be heard padding against the wooden planks.
His body jerked unexpectedly when my hand softly came to rest on his shoulder.
“Jude,” he choked, his sob catching in his throat as he looked up at me through bleary, tear-soaked eyes.
Before I could say anything, his body was wrapped around mine like as if I was some sort of lifeline. Crumbling beneath his weight, I collapsed to the ground more gently than anticipated. Zeek followed, burying his face into my neck as I wrapped my arms around him, holding him as tightly as I dared.
After a few minutes, Zeek had calmed down enough to get a few words out. “You didn’t leave.” His voice was weak, breath hitting my neck.
“I told you I wasn’t going to leave until I knew for sure that you would be okay.”He, of all people, should know that I mean what I say. Especially when it comes to him.
“D–Destri said she was taking you with her….” Tears leaked onto my skin as he pressed himself even closer to my body.
“She wanted me to go with her.” Destri may have thought that hard love was what Zeek needed, but I didn’t agree in the slightest. No, what Zeek needed was just the opposite of what I needed.
He needed me.
And I needed him.
“I couldn’t go with her. Not while you were in this condition. You’re too important to me. Besides, I know you, Zeek.”
I knew more about this man and was closer to him than I was my own family. More than even Eli. Being stuck in a musky, swamp-like room for months on end had brought us closer than anyone else I knew in my life before my abduction, or after.
“Why?” He pulled back, searching my eyes for something. Meanwhile, his were swimming with misery and defeat.
Cupping his check, I forced his eyes to remain on mine. “I knew that if I left, you’d end up doing something stupid.” I paused, but he didn’t deny the truth in my words. “I may be broken, but I’m a grown man. I can make my own choices. That being said, if you want me to leave, I will.”
“Please don’t leave me, Jude.”
“Never.” I pressed my forehead to his, hoping he understood what words could never say. “I promise you, Zeek, I’m here to stay. As long as you need.”
His eyes closed, one lone tear slipping down his cheek. Using my thumb, I wiped it away.
If I could, I’d have taken all of his pain and burned it to ashes. No one needed to carry that kind of stress and worry around with them. Especially Zeek. I figured after all this time he’d be getting better, not worse.
